This Demonstration shows how a simulated human cell behaves in terms of electrical activity and insulin secretion at different glucose levels. It is also possible to simulate the effect of the blockage of the ionic channels by changing their conductances.

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Details

This Demonstration is an implementation of the mathematical model described in [1] on the effects of impaired cell functioning. The model of the electrical activity of the human cell of Fridlyand et al. [2] was extended by including the relationship between glucose and ATP production showed by Li et al. [3].

In terms of the parameters shown, cell dysfunction is simulated by: (1) inhibiting ATP production; or (2) reducing glucose sensitivity (by increasing the value of the corresponding parameter). This Demonstration considers only the non-oscillatory cases described in the references.